Autograph forgers?

book'emdano

book'emdano

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We all know about Kenny and his patches. Is anyone out there known for fake autos? I like to pick up in the odd signature on Ebay and it would be helpful to know.
 
You never can tell with IP autos... So I set myself a limit to how much I would pay, in the case it isn't a real auto, then I wouldn't be too upset about it.

It reminds me I need to find a couple that I own. There was a local dealer who once had a store who was rumored to be an auto forger. It didn't make sense because he sold cards of players who wouldn't really be worth forging... I might have a card from him that I suspect might be a forgery. Reason being is I have 2 1992 UD Kevin Stevens IP autos... one from that store, one I found at a flea market just a couple years ago... and they have different signatures. When I find them both I will post them.
 
If it isnt certified by a reputable company, and it is on ebay, i would say it is most likely a fake. That faking it mini documentary gave a statistic about what % of autos on ebay are fake.
A lot of people in asian countries are starting to sell a bunch of signed photos I have noticed, and in that same mini docu "faking it" said that they are using auto pens to forge signatures.


I would suggest start doing TTM autos, or buying from legit sources if you can.
 
If it ain't a certified autograph card or an item from a very reputable dealer I'm not touching it. The only dealer I buy my autographed 8x10's from is Frozen Pond, they are as bulletproof as they come.
 
Its a tough call. When I go to games, I usually bring stuff to get signed. I try to have at least 1 item of every player possible. If it is cards, I bring 3. I only try to get one for myself, but if I see someone that doesn't have something for that guy, I give them a card to get signed to keep. So say this time I get Chris Phillips on an 8x10, and then in 2 months I get him again on an 8x10, I may sell that 2nd photo. I don't ask for certified prices by any means, but it is legit. There are tons of guys out there faking autos I am sure. If I see an ebay auction for an autograph and it is coming from China, or really, anywhere other than the US or Canada, I don't go near it. Also, look in the auction for grammar and spelling mistakes. English translation isn't always the best, so if there are plenty of mistakes and it says its coming from a location in North America, that sets of alarms for me as well. Alot of players have a different autograph that they give in person, as apposed to a paid autograph. Steve Shutt is a prime example. I have gotten his autograph a couple of times at old timers games. Its an awful autograph with basically just an "S" and a squiggle. If you look at some of his certified autos, you see a nice full name where you can read every letter. So, some IP autographs may look fake, but they could just be the "free" auto that player has.
 
I've been collecting all time Oilers autographs, and the simple truth is that for many players from the 80s and 90s (and even some today) there is no such thing as a certified autograph. They never signed for card companies, and no dealer is going to pay them any money to sit down and sign.

This has meant to fill out my collection, I've had to turn to TTM requets, and buying other people's TTM / IP autographs.

Can I be sure they're real? I guess not. I can be reasonably sure that nobody is going to forge a Brian Benning autograph, to sell it to me for $1.50 though.
 
Best way to tell as well is look at other IP auto's from other people and see if the auto's match or a letter matches since most players sign different for everyone.
 
Any auto purchased, whether card or jersey or puck or anything else should be certified for authenticity. Before the card companies started distributing certified autos in packs back in the early 90s, I was never a fan of buying auto'd cards simply because you could never 100% verify their authenticity. Same applies today and it's always a huge risk buying uncertified autos from ebay or anywhere else. Buy the one's certified by the card companies, or even the one's certified by BGS or PSA who have experts who can tell a fake from a legitimate one. Common sense, imo.
 
yes I hate JSA , get all my autos IP and know they are real, why pay more money to have a company chime in with their "professional" opinion?
 
I got Sergei to sign this after a game around 1993 or 1994. It doesn't look anything like his certified auto's but I know it's real. Peace of mind from any IP auto is the best COA on the market.

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30ranfordfan said:
I can be reasonably sure that nobody is going to forge a Brian Benning autograph, to sell it to me for $1.50 though.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't put it past anyone. It certainly would be a small-tymer thing but it would technically be profitable. You buy a card for a penny, fake a signature on it, sell it for $1-2. That is a huge return!

In my Kevin Stevens example, the first one I paid $3 for and the second I paid $1. At least one of them is a fake.

Certainly it doesn't make sense to try making a living off doing something like that, but there are some weeeird people you there! :crazy:
 
30ranfordfan said:
I've been collecting all time Oilers autographs, and the simple truth is that for many players from the 80s and 90s (and even some today) there is no such thing as a certified autograph. They never signed for card companies, and no dealer is going to pay them any money to sit down and sign.

This has meant to fill out my collection, I've had to turn to TTM requets, and buying other people's TTM / IP autographs.

Can I be sure they're real? I guess not. I can be reasonably sure that nobody is going to forge a Brian Benning autograph, to sell it to me for $1.50 though.
Click to expand...


Let me know who you want for Oilers. I own a show that is basically EXPO west. summitshow.com

I am becoming a bigger fan of the autograph guests aspect of shows for a very simple reason I am meeting the player while they are signing the auto.
 

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